


The Key to Hogsmeade

by ro_mm_ck



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Comedy, Crossover, F/M, Fluff, Post War, Post-War, Romance, The Quidditch Pitch: Eternity, The Quidditch Pitch: Television
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-06-29
Updated: 2008-06-29
Packaged: 2018-10-27 10:33:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10807353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ro_mm_ck/pseuds/ro_mm_ck
Summary: Dawn asks for a vacation from The Watcher's Council and ends up in Hogsmeade.Buffy/HP crossover





	The Key to Hogsmeade

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Annie, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Quidditch Pitch](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Quidditch_Pitch), which went offline in 2015 when the hosting expired, at a time I was not able to renew it. I contacted Open Doors, hoping to preserve the archive using an old backup, and began importing these works as an Open Doors-approved project in April 2017. Open Doors e-mailed all authors about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Quidditch Pitch collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thequidditchpitch/profile).
> 
>  **Author's notes:** For Keisha who requested it.
> 
> THANKS: To Inell, for giving me, in a strange way, part of the plot for this fic. :D She's NEVER gonna read this, but thanks anyway.

Dawn Summers was not your average everyday 28 year old. She never had been. It was something she had grown completely accustomed to in the years following her discovery of her true nature as The Key. She was completely used to demons, vampires, and all manner of strange mystical happenings. Her sister was still a Slayer after all, and she was still helping with the fight against the forces of darkness even though things had managed to slow down a bit after all the Potential Slayers were called.

 

Dawn was used to all of this, yes, but she was also completely tired of it all. She wanted some time off from her Watcher duties. She had just finished training her 30th Slayer and was exhausted.

 

"Hey G man," Dawn said lightly as she walked into Giles' office.

 

"You do that simply to annoy me, yes?" Giles asked.

 

"Pretty much," she said with a smile. A big, dramatic sigh escaped her lips as Giles turned his head back into the book he had been reading when she'd arrived.

 

Giles' head didn't even raise from his book but he offhandedly said, "What's wrong?"

 

"I need a vacation," Dawn said, followed by an even more dramatic sigh.

 

This time, Giles looked up. He took a moment to take in Dawn's overtired appearance. "I'm sure you do," he agreed. "I'm supposing, by your tone of voice, you're expecting to get one?"

 

"Yup," she said quickly.

 

"Where are you thinking about going?" he asked, eyes again darting down to his book.

 

"I was thinking of visiting the states," she said casually.

 

"That's a bit far, don't you think?"

 

"Well, you've got everything under control here in London, Buffy's handling the situation in Rome, and Willow, Faith, and Xander are still training Slayers in Egypt. It's not like you really need me right now and if I don't get away from all these girls I'm going to start putting sedatives in everyone's tea," she said all in one breathe in a babble that was reminiscent of Willow's high school rambles.

 

"I'm not disputing your need for a vacation, Dawn. What do you think of taking a trip a bit closer to home, should we need you?" Giles suggested finally closing the book in front of him.

 

"Like where?" Dawn asked, a small bit of triumph reaching her voice.

 

"How about somewhere in the U.K.? We've got contacts all over so you wouldn't be pressed to find a cheap place to stay," he offered. "There are hostels everywhere, and I have quite a few friends up in Scotland who wouldn't mind a guest."

 

Dawn was still trying to play it cool, still trying to not jump out of her seat, say "thanks" and start to packing. She had one more favor to ask and she was excited to get to this part of her visit with Giles.

 

"So, Giles," she began, trying to remain calm, "I would need money for this kind of adventure."

 

Giles simply pulled out his wallet, opened it, pulled out a credit card, and placed it in front of Dawn on the desk.

 

"Go," he said with a smile on his face, "you deserve it, Dawn. The pin is 3296 and there's about four thousand pounds on it. Try not to go over that."

 

Dawn literally jumped out of her seat, launched herself across the table and hugged Giles who still sat in his seat.

 

"Dawn, you're laying on a three thousand year old text!" he exclaimed.

 

Dawn quickly hopped off the desk and walking around it, hugged Giles the normal way.

 

"Thank you so much," she squealed into the shoulder of the man she had long since discovered was a father to her. "I can't even tell you how much I needed this, and I never thought it would be this easy to ask for it. If I would have known I would have asked years ago."

 

"Well, I'd been saving for it. All of you have your very own card with money saved for the 'breaking point' day, so, enjoy yourself because it's going to be quite awhile before I can afford it again."

 

"I'm off," she said as she broke from the hug and ran out the door to pack a small bag with thoughts of the new clothes she could buy while she was out and about.

 

~*~

 

Dawn stood in her room putting her backpack together with just the essentials. She was going to leave major hair and skin care behind for a few weeks and she was going to make that money last as long as possible. Packing some comfy T-shirts as well as some warmer clothes for those chilly British nights. She was just packing her favorite jumper when a knock sounded on her door.

 

Turning toward the door, she said, "Come in."

 

Andrew walked in carrying a white sheet of paper.

 

"Here are your contacts in the northern U.K., including Scotland as well as Ireland," he said, handing her a page full of numbers to hotels, restaurants, and people who simply lived in towns along the way.

 

"Thanks Andrew," Dawn said, taking the contacts sheet from him. "That was awfully fast."

 

"I like to always be prepared," Andrew stated. "I like to think of myself as our very own Q. I keep you all holding the tools you need, when you need them the most," he finished with a dreamy far off look in his eyes.

 

Dawn just shook her head with a smile and the put a hand to his back, guiding him out her door, "You're amazing, Andrew, but I've got to get packing because I want out of here before Giles changes his mind."

 

Nodding in understanding, Andrew walked out to the hallway. "Have fun, Dawn," he said quickly as he walked down the hall. "Send me a postcard if you get a chance!"

 

"Will do."

 

~*~

 

Walking along a rocky path, Dawn sighed contentedly. She had made it out of Watcher's Headquarters with no trouble and she was happily making her way through some of the prettier forested areas of Scotland. Deciding she needed some quiet time alone before visiting the larger cities in the U.K., Dawn made for the countryside.

 

"Thank. You. Giles," she said quietly to herself, in a near whisper, not wanting to disturb the calm around her.

 

Passing through a grouping of trees she came to a clearing. She could feel a low hum of magic emanating from it, but so much of Great Britain was magical, she quickly dismissed it after feeling very few traces of dark magic. As she walked closer, she slowed her steps. A prickling feeling went up and down her arms, tickling along her skin, finally settling on her chest.

 

"Woah, what was that?" Dawn wondered aloud.

 

Continuing at a slow pace she walked further into the clearing. Readjusting the pack on her back, she started up the hill at the far end. When she came to the top, she was greeted by a strange sight. There was a small village in front of her, but it seemed to be semi-transparent, almost as if the town itself had begun to fade out of existence.

 

"Ooooookay," Dawn said, completely confused. She walked more closely, clutching a charmed necklace Willow made her several years before. Walking to the edge of the village, Dawn saw a medium sized dog at its edge.

 

"Please don't be an evil, woman eating dog," Dawn pleaded as she neared it.

 

Coming upon the dog, she walked slowly past it, trying to remember not to give off any signs of fear. Gathering her courage and, more importantly, her curiosity, Dawn walked inside the arched walls of the village. When she crossed the threshold, everything around her came into sharp focus. Everything was fully formed before her eyes. She looked behind her and the hilltop and forest were still behind her as was the auburn colored dog. He seemed to be following her progression.

 

"Well, doggie, where are we?" Dawn asked over her shoulder.

 

"You're in Hogsmeade," a voice said from behind her.

 

Dawn spun around and where the voice had come from, and where she had last seen the dog was a man with dark black hair, green eyes, and glasses.

 

~*~

 

In the short hours following, Dawn was introduced to Harry and several of his friends. He took her on a tour of Hogsmeade and found her a place to stay for the night at The Three Broomsticks.

 

"I cannot believe there's such a huge magical community out here and we knew nothing about it at the Watcher's Council," Dawn sighed.

 

"If it makes you feel any better," Ron said with a laugh, "we didn't know about you lot either. Slayers, eh? A bunch of chits with super strength?"

 

"I don't imagine it's fun around there during certain times of the month," Ginny joked.

 

"You have NO idea," Dawn agreed with a chuckle.

 

They passed the evening quickly, Dawn, Ron, Harry, and Ginny. She couldn't believe Harry had been following her since she left the train station in town... and he could turn into a dog! She was fairly certain that would never get old.

 

When Dawn finally accepted exhaustion, she waved to her new friends, promised more chats tomorrow, and slowly made her way up the stairs to her room for the night. She could barely keep her eyes open as she walked down the short hallway. Gliding her fingers along the walls like a sailor waiting for the next swell, she slowly stumbled to her door. Falling into the door, she walked into the small room she thought was her own. She quietly closed the door and launched herself on the bed.

 

"What the hell?" Dawn cried as she hit something definitely not her mattress.

 

"Who the hell are you?" the voice called from underneath her, "and what are you doing in my room?"

 

It took her a moment to register, but pushing up slightly, she realized, she had fallen on a person and this was most definitely not her room. Rolling off the bed onto the floor, she quickly began to apologize.

 

"I'm so sorry, I thought this was my room," she explained as the bed's intended occupant reached for his wand.

 

Holding it up he said, " _Lumos_ ," and as the wand's tip glowed he studied the young woman in front of him. She still sat in front of him and was wearing Muggle clothing.

 

"It's alright," he drawled, very obviously having just been woken up. "Though next time, I suggest checking before leaping onto someone unless it's someone you intend to leap on."

 

Dawn lifted herself off of the floor as her cheeks flushed with red.

 

"Again," she began as she walked toward his door, "I'm really very sorry for waking you up."

 

"It's no trouble," he said, brushing off her apology.

 

Something in the tone of his voice made her want to slap him. She had made an honest mistake, apologized for it, and he seemed to be mocking even that.

 

"Well, goodnight, Mr.?"

 

"Malfoy," he said almost too politely, rising from his bed. "Draco Malfoy, and you are?"

 

"Dawn Summers," she said taking his offered hand for a civil handshake. "I'm staying here as well."

 

"Obviously," he said with a glint in his eye.

 

"Well, I'm tired, so maybe I'll see you tomorrow," Dawn said, backing out of his room. "Goodnight, Mr. Malfoy."

 

"Draco, please," he said as he walked her to the door. "Good night, Dawn."

 

Dawn walked down the hall and realized, albeit too late, she was one door farther down the hall.

 

"I couldn't have noticed that a minute ago," Dawn thought to herself as she slowly opened her door. Seeing her pack and pictures up on the vanity she walked inside.

 

"You look tired, dear, " the mirror said with a yawn. "You should get some sleep."

 

"That's what I thought, too," Dawn mumbled in agreement. She carelessly fell into her own bed and closed her eyes.

 

Behind her eyelids wasn't darkness, however. It wasn't the blissful, thoughtless, swirls she would have found there... minutes earlier. The images behind the young Key's eyes were anything but thoughtless. They seemed to be consumed by the young man she had so briefly but memorably met only moments ago.

 

Now she had only fleetingly seen his face and body when he lit his wand, but from what she could quickly gather, he was quite nicely put together.

 

"Those are nice arms to have," Dawn mused aloud, her eyes opening on her empty room. "Buffy would hate him, but he is kind of yummy lookin'."

 

After her thoughts started to turn to the exceptionally pornographic, Dawn gave up sleep for the moment and sat down to write a letter to Buffy. Tomorrow she'd have to remember to send mail to Giles, Willow, Faith, and Xander as well as the postcard she'd promised Andrew.

 

_Buffy,_

 

_I can't even believe it, Giles let me off on vacation. Not sure how long he's going to let me off, so I'm enjoying myself while I can. Did a bit of wandering my first day and ended up... I'm not even going to try to explain where I am right now because you'd never believe it unless you saw it. Long story, short, I'm running around a town composed completely of wizards and witches somewhere in Scotland! Not sure how you can get in touch with me here, so I'll just keep writing to ya so you don't think I've been blown to pieces by some stray wand blast. (And, yes, that was a joke, and yes, they do use wands here... crazy.)_

 

_I've only been here one day but I've already made some friends. They're mostly your age, but they've turned out to be alright anyway. (that's another joke *grin*) You'd really like them. Harry, Ron, and Ron's sister Ginny have managed to give me a tour as well as a nice room to stay in tonight. We'll see about tomorrow and where they end up taking me._

 

_I should be sleeping right now, but I'm a GIANT idiot and accidentally flopped myself on someone else's bed. (No wise cracks, please) I was so completely embarrassed but, my non-drunk self just made the wonderful mistake of flopping onto a 6 foot something, blonde haired, blue eyed hottie. How lucky can one girl be, eh? He's kind of a snot, and you wouldn't like him, but he's a definite honey._

 

_Feelin' kind of tired now (thankfully) so I'm off to bed._

 

_Love you,_

_Dawnie_

 

Yawning she stood up and walked to her door, envelope addressed and ready. In search of stamps and a post box she walked down the hallway to the bar of The Three Broomsticks.

 

"Excuse me, Sir," Dawn enquired at the front desk. "Could you tell me where the nearest post box is?"

 

"I'm sorry miss?" the old scraggly looking man behind the counter asked. "Do you mean the owl post office?"

 

"Sure," Dawn said, a bit confused. "Is it far from here?"

 

"Naw, 's not far," he said, more comfortable with the conversation now. "'s only up the street a bit, but if you're only looking to send a letter, I can offer you one of our owls."

 

Dawn now noticed that behind him there were several owls of varying size, shape, and color.

 

"What's an owl going to do with my letter?" Dawn asked with growing confusion.

 

"Deliver it to whomever you intend it, I imagine," a slow voice said from just behind her.

 

Dawn turned and, to her delight and horror, there stood Draco Malfoy.

 

"Oooooookay, if you say so," Dawn muttered. Turning toward the innkeeper she handed her letter and said, "This needs to go out to Buffy Summers and the address is on the envelope. Do I need to pay you for this?"

 

The innkeeper shook his head and said, "No, ma'am. 's a free service for me tenants."

 

"Well, thank you then," Dawn said and intended to go back to her bed. Her progress was blocked by the even more imposing looking Mr. Malfoy. "Good night," she said passing around him. Feeling a tap on her shoulder, she turned back toward him. "Yes?"

 

"I can't sleep," Draco said in an amused voice, "and apparently neither can you. Care to join me for some Butterbeer?"

 

"I was just writing a quick letter and now I'm off to bed," Dawn said but she still hadn't made any move toward the door.

 

"Who's this Buzzy character and why does he warrant a letter at three in the morning?" Draco asked, genuinely interested. He had been seeing much the same visions playing under his eyelids after the youngest Summers woman left his room. Their bodies had fit together quite nicely after she was done pouncing on him, though, that had had it's pluses as well. He'd decided not to just stay in his room with his thoughts when he heard her door open.

 

"It's Buffy, and she's my sister," Dawn explained.

 

"You're sister's name is Buffy?" Draco asked amusedly. "How did you end up with the good name?"

 

"Hey, I don't even know you," Dawn said a little outraged, but mostly chuckling along with him. "You can't make fun of her until you know her, and besides, nobody's allowed to make rip on my sister but me."

 

"Don't have any brothers or sisters, but understood," he conceded. "You sure you won't join me for Butterbeer or perhaps some Firewhiskey?"

 

"Tomorrow, Mr. Malfoy," Dawn said as she finally turned to leave. "I've had quite a long day, and I don't see how I'm going to be able to go exploring if I don't get some sleep."

 

"It's Draco, and I'll hold you to that," Draco said as he sat down at the bar to order a shot of Firewhiskey. "Good night, Dawn."

 

"Good night, Draco."

 

If she had had even one ounce of strength left in her, she would have stayed downstairs for a drink, but she didn't even feel her head hit the pillow before she was fast asleep. Her last thoughts were of Draco and how shocked Buffy was going to be to receive a letter by owl.

 

~*~

 

She woke that morning, got cleaned up, dressed, and made her way down to the bar, which was already open. Scanning the room, she spied Ginny sitting at a table by herself.

 

"Is this seat taken?" Dawn asked. With a smile, Ginny lifted her head up from the paper she'd been reading and motioned for Dawn to sit.

 

"How'd you sleep?" she asked good naturedly.

 

"Uh, after a few, um, hiccups," Dawn stammered, not wanting to embarrass herself in front of her new friend, "I slept just fine, like a baby."

 

Ginny could see the flush rising in her cheeks. She put down her paper and leaned into Dawn. "What happened between the short time after you left our sight and sleep?"

 

"Oh fuckall," Dawn began and relayed the entire story to Ginny, avoiding the part where her thoughts could have made an actress in an adult film blush.

 

Ginny had tears streaming down her eyes by the time Dawn finished.

 

"Oh Lord," Ginny said in short gasping breaths, "Draco Malfoy? That's just..."

 

"Incredibly embarrassing?" Dawn supplied quickly.

 

"Absolutely priceless," Ginny corrected.

 

"Ginny," Dawn pleaded, "you have to stop laughing. Ron and Harry are coming this way and I do NOT want them to know about it."

 

Ginny started taking deep breaths at the sight of her brother and her husband heading toward her. Luckily for Dawn, they stopped at the bar to order breakfast before they sat down.

 

"I can't promise anything, but I'll try," she said as her breathing began to return to normal.

 

By the time Harry and Ron sat down to discuss what Dawn wanted to see that day, Ginny had regained hold of herself. She kept sneaking grins at Dawn, but she kept her mouth shut.

 

"Do you have much money, Dawn," Ron finally asked.

 

"A bit," she said with a smile, "I'm on paid holiday."

 

"'Cause we could pop over to Diagon Alley to check out some of the shops there," Ron suggested.

 

"Sounds good to me," Harry agreed, "Gin and I are on holiday as well."

 

"Is it very far?" Dawn asked. "I promised to have a drink with someone tonight."

 

Ginny just broke out in a huge smile and nodded at her. "Yes, we can be back later tonight, we'll just Floo over."

 

While Ginny explained the Floo Network to Dawn, Ron and Harry ate their breakfasts in a confused silence. They could tell something was going on between the two women across from them, but they had no idea what.

 

"Go hand your dishes up at the bar so we can get going," Ginny ordered.

 

Harry raised an eyebrow and said, "Yes dear," in a mocking tone before he kissed her on the neck and walked over to the bar, dishes in hand.

 

"That's a good boy," Ginny retorted in her best praising a dog voice.

 

"Don't know why he puts up with ya, Gin," Ron kidded her as he, too, got up to take his dishes back.

 

"And that's why I married him and not you, Ron," Ginny said with a distasteful look on her face, turning back toward Dawn. "You ready to go do some more exploring?"

 

"I guess so," Dawn said oddly. "It's so weird, all of this. Are you in the habit of adopting strange people often?"

 

"Not really, though you wouldn't call yourself strange if you'd met the rest of our family," Ginny admitted. "It's mostly that Harry found you while he was his Animagi state. Only good people come of it. It’s like he's precognitive or something."

 

"I wouldn't be surprised," Dawn said. "Though I think very little would surprise me at this point."

 

Ginny just laughed as the group of them walked into the back room at the Three Broomsticks. It housed a fireplace on the Floo Network so they could make the trip to and from Diagon Alley.

 

After a short trip to Gringotts, Dawn had a long day of going through bookstores, ice cream parlors, and other magical shops. Dawn was loaded down with her purchases from various stores. She absolutely could NOT believe the stuff they sold in this place. She'd also bought herself an owl to be able to write back and forth with the new friends she'd made.

 

"What's that place?" Dawn asked, pointing to Ollivander's with a finger that wasn't holding purchases.

 

"It's where we buy our wands," Ron replied.

 

"Can we go in? I just want to see what it's like," she explained.

 

"Why don't we do this first?" Ron suggested. He pulled out his wand and transfigured a pebble into a large, paperboy-like knapsack.

 

"That was brilliant, Ron," Dawn exclaimed. "Felt like my arms were going to fall off." She bent over, placing all her parcels in the bag. They had, wisely, chosen to have the Eeylops' Owl Emporium hold on to the Sooty Owl Dawn had affectionately called "Peaches". Throwing the strap over her shoulder, Dawn opened the door to Ollivander's and walked inside. "Wow."

 

"Been waiting for you Miss Summers," Mr. Ollivander said from behind a large pile of wands.

 

"Scuze me?" Dawn asked a bit surprised he knew her name. "I'm not a witch or anything," she protested.

 

"You are most definitely something, Miss Summers," he said with a nod. "Let's try this one, willow, quite limber with a unicorn tail hair."

 

He placed the wand in Dawn's hand and instructed her to wave it around a bit. Very similar to the experiences of the other three occupants of the room, Dawn managed to blow up all the papers on his desk.

 

"No. Wrong one, maybe something stronger..." he said quickly taking the wand from her hands, and placing it back in its box. Pulling more wands off the shelves he tried wand after wand until she felt a rush of power flowing through her body. It was similar to the effects of the spell Willow had cast to find the newest potential Slayer, but without the pain of throwing her up against the door. "That's right, oak with the feather of a phoenix intertwined with the blood of a werewolf. Very interesting."

 

"Mr. Ollivander," Ginny said with a bewildered expression on her face, "Dawn is not a witch, sir. She's not getting ready to go to school or anything. She's just visiting for a bit."

 

"Miss Summers was meant to go to school at Hogwarts, but she missed her chance, so I will not have her without her wand," Mr. Ollivander said simply, ushering her out of the shop. "Enjoy the wand, Miss Summers."

 

Harry, Dawn, and Ron stood dumbfounded in the street.

 

"I didn't pay for it," Dawn said, speaking first.

 

"That you didn't," Ginny agreed, mouth still agape.

 

Ron was the first to recover, "Well, you saved yourself some galleons anyway," he suggested brightly.

 

"Plus, there's the added bonus of your having a wand now. We could teach you some wicked spells," Harry offered.

 

"Or Malfoy could teach you," Ginny added saucily.

"Malfoy?" Ron asked, his head pulling away to show his obvious distaste for the wizard.

 

"Well, he is the Charms teacher at Hogwarts, and he was second in your class under Hermione who's busy with Ministry business right now," Ginny stated sagely.

 

Dawn's cheeks turned bright red as Ginny went on about the man she had, quite literally jumped on the night before.

 

"Don't even worry about teaching me spells, guys, I don't need to know. I've gone this far without a wand I think I can manage the rest of my life without it."

 

"Ollivander may look a bit dodgy, but he really knows his wands, and you were meant to have that one," Harry explained, "and I hardly think he meant for you not to use it."

 

"And even though Malfoy is a bit of a wanker, he's a good teacher," Ron admitted begrudgingly. "He's also staying at the Three Broomsticks at the moment if I'm not mistaken."

 

"Yes, he's there," Ginny said with a smile. "He and Dawn managed to meet last night."

 

"Really?" Ron said suspiciously.

 

"She, um, bumped into him when she was posting a letter to her sister," Ginny explained quickly.

 

"Oh. Well, let's get back to the pub so we can get some dinner and see if we can't find Malfoy tonight," Harry suggested.

 

~*~

 

Later that night, over dinner, they all taught her some basic charms and spells to use.

 

"Wingardium Leviosa," Dawn intoned and was quite proud of the floating spoon in front of her face.

 

"Took Ron two weeks to get that right," Ginny kidded as she stroked the feathers of Dawn's charcoal colored owl.

 

"Well, at least he didn't blow things up," Harry defended.

 

"Ah, Seamus," Ron said gratefully, "he always made me feel better about myself."

 

"You and everyone else at Hogwarts," Ginny admitted sadly. Looking around the pub's nearly empty dining room, Ginny scanned for Draco. She had a feeling he would be interested to meet Dawn in a more comfortable setting. Ginny and Luna had been the first Gryffindors to accept Draco as one of the good guys and he and Ginny had managed a rather interesting relationship. They had even dated for a short time. She owed all her happiness to Draco, who was smart enough to realize they were total shit as anything but friends. He'd also helped her convince Harry of some long lingering feelings he had never admitted. He'd been Ginny's man of honor as he'd been her best friend. No one really minded, of course, because Hermione had been Harry's best woman.

 

"Be right back," Ginny said cheerfully. With a smile in Dawn's direction, she announced, "Draco's here."

 

Spying his platinum blonde hair walking in through the door, Ginny popped up from the table and crossed to the bar to meet him.

 

"Bon soir mon ami," Ginny said while dropping to a mock bow.

 

"Oh, mon petite chox," Draco said with sarcasm dripping from every syllable.

 

"You don't need to be a prat, Draco," Ginny said, putting her hands on her hips. "I was only saying hello."

 

"Uh huh. Whenever the conversation begins in French, you've got something you need me for or you're about to tell me something I'm not going to like, so which is it?" Draco defended coldly.

 

"Neither, though I do have something for you to do, but I have a feeling you're going to like it," Ginny explained with a sneaky gleam in her eye.

 

"Alright, Weasley, what's going on?" Draco asked, now curious.

 

"I have a friend of mine I'd like you to meet, though I know you've briefly met before," Ginny said, taking Draco's hand and pulling him back to where her husband, brother, and Dawn were sitting.

 

"Malfoy," Ron said, nodding in Draco's direction.

 

"Weasley," Draco acknowledged back.

 

"How've your summer holidays been," Harry asked.

 

"Splendid," Draco answered and then noticed Dawn sitting next to Ron, "Had a bit of trouble sleeping last night, but other than that, it's been really relaxing."

 

Dawn's face flushed bright red as she sat and looked at the table for a moment before deciding she wasn't some wide eyed teenager.

 

"Anything interesting, Mr. Malfoy?" Dawn asked, putting sarcastic emphasis on the mister.

 

"Could have been," he replied with a raise to his eyebrow, "it could have been, Miss Summers."

 

Ginny sat down next to her husband and have herself a mental hug for realizing, without having seen them together, that they would simply blaze together.

 

"So, what did you need from me, Mrs. Potter?" Draco asked, breaking his gaze at Dawn's lips.

 

"Well, Dawn here, has acquired her first wand, apparently Mr. Ollivander thinks she needs one," Harry began to explain, "and we thought you could teach her some charms..."

 

"Seeing as how I'm the Charms professor?" Draco finished for him.

 

"That's basically it," Ginny agreed, but Draco recognized the twinkle in her eyes. When they were not in front of the others, he was going to have to ask her what she had going on in that devious mind of hers. Honestly, when Ginny Potter got going, she could put Fred and George to shame.

 

"I'd be happy to," Draco offered quickly. "Miss Summers does owe me a drink, after all."

 

"I said I'd have one with you, not that I'd pay for one," Dawn said snottily as she rose from the table and walked over toward the bar. When she noticed him following her progress she turned and said, "Though I suppose a few drinks for my new teacher wouldn't exactly be a bad idea. What'cha drinkin', Draco?"

 

"I'll have a shot of Firewhiskey and a beer, if it's not too much trouble, Dawn."

Ron and Harry finally began picking up on what Ginny had known from the start. Ron nodded at the pair of them and then toward the door to the rooms. Harry agreed and took Ginny's hand.

 

"Well, I think we're going to hit the hay, Dawn," Harry announced quietly.

 

"Okay," Dawn said suspiciously.

 

"We're going to pop in on the kids for a minute to tuck them in, and Ron has to check on Luna, you know, out to here pregnant and she still told him to go on holiday for the weekend," Ginny explained. "She's a bit loony, that one."

 

"Oh shut it, Gin," Ron admonished, "you know you're crazier than Luna will ever be."

 

"She did marry you," Ginny teased and then turned back to Dawn. "You want me to take Peaches upstairs with me or are you going up?"

 

"Take him upstairs, would you? I owe Draco a drink and I'm plannin' on dragin' some lessons out of him before I turn in."

 

"Will do," Ginny agreed picking up the beautiful bird and placing him on her shoulder. "Good night, Dawn, Draco."

 

"Night, Gin," Draco said with a wave, "Potter, Weasley." He almost managed to sound friendly with the two of them, but fell short because of his contemptible tone of voice.

 

After the trio had disappeared back to their rooms, Draco looked over to the young woman sitting across from him. She was a bit younger than the women he usually dated, but there was something about her that felt different.

 

"So, Dawn, is there something you want to learn, or are you open for suggestion?" Draco said laced with an obviously intended innuendo.

 

"Don't know what you're thinkin' about teaching, Mr. Malfoy," Dawn said with a tilt to her head, a smile on her face, and a lower register to her voice.

 

"Well, I thought we could start on basic Charms and then move onto the more difficult ones when you feel you're ready," Draco said, obviously trying to keep Dawn confused as to the game he was playing.

 

"Sounds good to me," Dawn agreed, dropping all pretense of sex and honestly becoming excited about learning to use her new wand. "Where do we start?"

 

"I have a basic textbook in my room that you could hold onto after this, either I can bring it down here, or we can work on spells upstairs, your choice," he offered, leaving the obvious decision up to her.

 

Dawn considered for a moment, the choice that was clearly before her. She barely knew this man, having only bumped into him yesterday. She knew that Harry, Ron, and Ginny had, at the very least, a respect for him, but she wasn't in the habit of going into strange men's rooms. On the other hand, he was the most attractive men she could ever recall meeting before. There was something in the way his hair fell into his eyes, casually hiding the blue swirling depths within. It was almost as if a mist of silken threads had fallen in front of an ocean's depths.

 

"Well, it might be rather disturbing to the other patrons," Dawn said, grasping at straws to make her decision for her so she could blame someone else if things went sour.

 

"Indeed," Draco said with a smile, "it might."

 

On the way up the stairs Dawn was trying to decide, "His room or mine, his room or mine, his room or mine..." She finally settled her aching head on his room, "I could always leave if things got too weird or if he tried something she wasn't ready for. Good plan," she thought.

 

Draco opened the door to his room and ushered her inside.

 

"How long are you on vacation, Draco?" Dawn asked indicating his room. "You look a little lived in."

 

"I've been here for a few weeks. I left school after term ended and all the children left," he explained.

 

"Oh. Um. Do you find that you like teaching?" she asked, grasping at straws for conversation. She had a strange feeling about Draco. It was an odd sensation at the pit of her belly. It made her want to just kiss him every time he spoke. Something about the way his lips wrapped around words made her want to silence them.

 

"Most of the time," Draco said with a laugh. "There are some students who test my patience on a daily basis."

 

"I'm sure you'll find that most teachers are that way," Dawn said with a nod. "I've some teaching experience and I had a few students who just did a tap dance on my very last nerve." She was almost trying to avoid looking at him as he rummaged through a trunk next to his bed. For some reason she couldn't seem to look at him just yet. She busied herself with looking at the pictures and trinkets he had placed on the dresser. There was a snapshot of Ginny and Draco at her wedding to Harry. They were both holding glasses up in the air and smiling like idiots. Dawn was still amazed at wizarding photos. She was delighted to see Ginny hugging Draco and grinning at whomever took the photo. They both waved and toasted the occasion over and over.

 

"Is this Ginny and Harry's wedding?" Dawn asked, once again grasping. Draco looked up from his pile of books and smiled. Dawn nearly melted into a puddle on the floor.

 

"Yes," he replied. "A great time, that. I was Ginny's 'maid of honor' so to speak," he said with a laugh.

 

"I didn't know the two of you were such good friends," Dawn said, sitting in the only chair in the room.

 

"Been friends since sixth year. All of us went to Hogwarts together, Ron, Ginny, Harry, Ron's wife Luna, and Hermione," he explained, sitting on the bed with a book in his hand. "This is the text I was talking about," he said, handing the book to Dawn.

 

"Oh, thank you," Dawn said flipping through some of the pages. "How much do I owe you?"

 

"Nothing, it's a free copy, quite old, from when I was in school, though they've done very little to change the books in about the last hundred years or so," Draco explained, amusement shining from his eyes.

 

Dawn could very easily become lost in those eyes. He had a brightness and a darkness contained inside, but right now he looked happily at her and stood from the bed with another knee-melting smile.

 

"So. Would you like to try a few simple ones?" he asked with a cheerful and yet mocking expression. It seemed as if Draco would always have the upper hand in every situation. Dawn couldn't wait for an opportunity to arise when she would have the upper hand.

 

"Ginny's already taught me the floating charm," Dawn informed him, standing beside him, "but that's about all I know how to do with the thing." Dawn looked ruefully at her wand and shrugged.

 

"First thing to know about charms is it takes two things to cast a good one. Proper pronunciation of the words and proper wand movement," Draco said, going automatically into the speech he gave on the first day of class to his first year students.

 

"Draco, I'm not your class of eleven year olds," Dawn said with a smile, "you can just start. I promise I won't blow anything up."

 

"You say that now, but in my first year of assisting, one child destroyed most of a class room," Draco said with a smile.

 

"Okay, I get it, safety first," Dawn said with a condescending smile.

 

Draco began teaching her some of the basic charms. Unlocking charms, fire starting charms, freezing charms, and even some transfiguration lessons, they all came quite easily to Dawn as she tried to file away what she was learning for future use.

 

"You're quite good at this," Draco admitted proudly.

 

"Thank you," Dawn said, gracefully accepting her praise. "It's quite a lot of fun, actually. I'm just trying to remember everything."

 

"Well, that's what the book's for, should you forget," Draco stated as he put his wand down on the dresser. "Would you like a bit of tea or something?" he asked, taking off his robes and placing them on the abandoned chair.

 

"Sure," Dawn agreed, "that might be nice."

 

While Draco rang for room service, Dawn had time to think about what she was doing. She may never see Draco or any of her friends again, and she had the distinct feeling that Draco and Ginny were very close. She might be risking some major hexing if she did what she wanted to with this fellow. Dawn liked Harry, Ron, and Ginny, she didn't want to hurt them even if it was to have sex with the most attractive man she'd ever met. Lost in her thoughts she didn't even hear the door open and was surprised to see the innkeeper standing there with a tray with tea service for two on it. Clasping her hand to her heart, she gasped.

 

"Get lost in your thoughts?" Draco teased.

 

"Something like that," Dawn admitted.

 

Draco picked up his wand and tapped a box that had been sitting on his dresser. Out from the box popped two chairs, a table and vase of flowers.

 

"It never ceases to amaze me what you can do with that thing."

 

"Just a simple spell really," Draco said with a shrug, "you could probably do it by this time tomorrow. That is, if you'd like to continue with lessons."

 

"I can't wait!" Dawn said excitedly as she walked over to the table. Draco pulled her chair out and then moved over to his.

 

After they'd finished levitating some small objects like peppermint sticks, spoons, and flowers, Dawn became curious about her teacher.

 

"What's your family like, Draco?" she asked as she poured the tea. She saw him stiffen a bit, but his grace returned a moment later.

 

"My mother is living in a wizarding community in France at the moment, just received a visit from her a week before you came. She's looking to marry one of the professors from the school there called Beaubaton. She's quite happy with the gentleman and he seems to be quite good for her."

 

"And your father?" Dawn asked, "I remember from yesterday that you're an only child."

 

"He died several years ago, while I was still in school," he explained.

 

"Oh, I'm sorry," Dawn apologized.

 

"Don't worry about it," Draco said, dismissing her apology. "We were never close, my father and I, and he was a right bastard most of the time."

 

"Mine too," Dawn admitted, "though he's still alive and living in Los Angeles with his new wife, if I'm not mistaken."

 

"Well, what a pair we make," Draco observed. "Onto something more pleasant then?"

 

"Sure," Dawn agreed.

 

"What is it you do for a living, since you already know I'm a teacher at Hogwarts?" he asked.

 

"I train Slayers," Dawn said quickly before taking a sip of her tea.

 

"I'm sorry, what's a Slayer?" he asked with the voice of a person who was very unused to asking questions to which he does not already know the answer.

 

"A long time ago there were these guys in Africa or somewhere who decided to take some of the demon aspect from a vampire and put it into a girl, the Slayer. This would give her super human strength and she would be able to fight the vampires and demons roaming the Earth," Dawn began and was amazed to see absolute bewildered interest playing across Draco's face. "She was the one girl in the world with the strength and ability to fight and when one Slayer died, another one would be called. That's how it was for thousands of years. My sister, Buffy, was called when she was 15 and she died when she was 16, calling Kendra."

 

"But I thought you sent her a letter yesterday," Draco wondered, a puzzled expression on his face.

 

"I did," Dawn said and then began to explain about Xander, Willow, Giles, Spike, Faith, and the ever expanding Scooby gang. When she had finished, Draco sat in the chair across from her with a shocked and impressed expression on his face.

 

"Wow," Draco said in a sigh. "That's just amazing... So, you were made from this mystical ball of energy thing and now, you're just a human, right?"

 

"Basically, but Willow's told me I've got some residual magics left in me, maybe that's why Mr. Ollivander thought I needed a wand," Dawn wondered aloud.

 

"Possibly," Draco agreed, "though I have my doubts about that man. He seems a bit off his rocker."

 

"He seemed okay to me, just a little twitchy," Dawn said shrugging to hide the anger she could feel rising.

 

"Don't mean to be a bastard, Dawn, but you've only dealt with the man for five seconds, I've known him my entire life," Draco insisted.

 

"I'm an excellent judge of character," Dawn explained, her temperature rising.

 

"You've quickly befriended two thirds of the Golden Trio. Most of the wizarding world would agree with you, I'm sure," Draco snipped.

 

"Why do you have to do that?" Dawn asked, frustrated. "Why do you have to dispute everything everyone says?" she said, rising from her chair to stand over him.

 

"Because I'm right," Draco challenged simply as he stood up to take advantage of the nearly foot difference in their height. He looked down at Dawn, her eyes flashing, cheeks flushed, and lips clenched in anger. "She's a firecracker, this one," Draco thought to himself.

 

"Is that so?" Dawn challenged right back.

 

"Yes," Draco said, in one motion grabbing her arms, hauling her against his body, and slamming his lips on her surprised ones.

 

Dawn "mmphed" in surprise as she had the living hell kissed out of her. "So, this is what they mean by kissed senseless," she thought when he pulled away from her to give her a chance to breathe.

 

She surprised Draco by throwing her arms around his neck and returning the favor. When they pulled apart, breathless and gasping, she smiled at him and said, "Been wanting to do that since I ended up on your floor."

 

Draco raised his eyebrows in surprise and smiled an unintentionally devastating smile down at the woman before him.

 

"And if you keep smiling at me like that," Dawn warned, "I'm going to be able to do very little else," she finished as she guided his lips back down to hers.

 

Gliding his hands down her back to cup her buttocks, Draco made himself more familiar with the curves of her body. Backing his head away from hers he lifted his chin and spoke as Dawn fastened her lips on his neck, "I'll have to file that away for future reference," he said, teasingly. "Though, I think we'll be able to find a few other things to do."

 

She could feel the deep timbre of his voice through his skin and she shivered from head to toe. This, combined with the wicked things Draco was now doing to her inner thighs was driving her to distraction. Dawn pushed a shocked Draco away from her body.

 

"I'm just going to go ahead and be slut girl right now. Draco Malfoy, if you don't get naked in the next minute..." Dawn began but was silenced once again by the lips of Draco after he quickly tore his shirt over his head. His hands blazed a trail along the collar of the button down sweater she was wearing. His callous roughened fingers were igniting fires wherever they went as he made his way to the buttons holding the thin blue fabric together at her breasts. His nimble digits made quick work of the many buttons keeping him from the bare skin he desired. Finally sliding the last button through a hole at the base of her stomach, he glided his hands around her waist slowly guiding her against him.

 

They touched skin to skin for the first time and Dawn was having a hard time remembering to breathe. She started doing some exploring of her own. She ran her fingers up his rippled chest, over his shoulders, coming to rest at his biceps, grabbing to hold on for her life as her knees became weak at Draco's continued ministrations. Dawn hadn't even realized he had managed to divest her of her shirt and now her bra was hanging off her body.

 

Draco put his hands under her buttocks and lifted her off her feet, causing her to wrap her legs around his waist. Dawn also wrapped her arms around his neck, tangling her fingers in his hair as she kissed him with every ounce of passion she was feeling.

 

"I can't believe this is happening," Dawn said when she came up for air.

 

Every bit as disbelieving, Draco said, "Nor I."

 

They tumbled into bed still attached in several places. Draco sensed no hesitation from Dawn but he didn't want her to regret what they were about to do so he lifted his head from her lips.

 

"Are you sure you want to do this, Dawn? We've only just met," he said cautiously, his eyes boring into hers searching for any sign of distrust, anxiety, or fear.

 

Dawn nearly cried at the look of fear and impatience on Draco's face as he waited for her reply. She answered him by using all her strength and training with Slayers to flip him over. She whipped her bra off her body and pulled her skirt up over her head. She sat on top of him wearing nothing but a skimpy bit of lace.

 

"Does that answer your question?" Dawn asked as she sat on his legs, her long brown hair falling in front of her body.

 

"If my question was how strong you are," he kidded as he put his hands on her hips and pulled her over his erection.

 

Dawn's eyes widened as she felt the bulge now underneath her. It had been several years since she'd had sex and it had certainly been longer since she had been treated so such a package... possibly never by the feel of it.

 

~*~

 

"Yes, I'm quite sure I want to do this," Dawn said in a breathless voice the next morning collapsed on top of him.

 

"Quite," Draco agreed as he stroked his fingers through her hair.

 

A knock came from the other side of the door. It was Harry.

 

"When you lot are done shagging like bunnies, come on down for breakfast," he said with a laugh.

 

"Or possibly lunch," Ginny snickered.

 

They could just hear Ron's disgusted tones as they walked down the hall, "The two of them," he said with a shudder.

 

"Build a bridge, Ron," Ginny said patting her brother on the shoulder. As their voices faded down the hall Dawn heard a tapping on Draco's window. Looking up she saw a small owl with a letter. Sliding out of bed, Draco walked unabashedly to the window and took the letter. Surprisingly it was for Dawn.

 

"'S for you," Draco said, handing the letter to her.

 

Dawn opened the envelope, noticing Buffy's familiar scrawl on the outside.

 

_Dawn,_

 

_Blah blah blah wizards, witches, and wands. I've heard it all before. My Dawnie with a honey? Your first day there? I'm impressed, as is Faith who's visiting and nearly killed the owl you sent us the letter with because it scared the shit out of her when it flew through the window into her bedroom._

 

_Enjoy the vacay and if you get a chance, send us some pictures of this so-called honey... for educational purposes, of course._

 

_Faith says, and I quote, "Ride him until champagne pops out."_

 

_She says you'll know what she means. I've got an idea, but I really don't even want to think about my sister doing the nasty. To use something from high school... that's just eeeew._

 

_Love you,_

_Buffy_

 

Dawn laughed as she put the letter back into its envelope and smiled at the nude man laying next to her. She hopped back on his chest and upon feeling the new life stirring in his lap she smiled.

 

"I've got some Slayer orders to follow," she said as she kissed him senseless and they began to move together.

 

THE END


End file.
